The invention relates to a disc player including two disc storage magazines which are disposed opposite one another and which are provided with a plurality of superposed disc holders that are stored in compartments. Each disc holder accommodates one disc. The player further comprises a transporting device that includes an extraction device equipped with a gripping arm and is movable in the stack direction of the disc storage magazines so as to transport a desired disc and the associated disc holder back and forth between the compartment and a playback unit.
DE 3,521,913.C2 discloses a disc player having two oppositely disposed disc storage magazines between which a chute extends in the vertical direction. Within the chute, a playback unit is displaceable with the aid of a lifting device. A disc extraction device is disposed at the rear of the disc storage magazines and is equipped with extraction arms which can be moved toward and away from one another. Moreover, the extraction arms are also vertically or laterally displaceable by means of the disc extraction device. Thus, in order to play a disc, it is necessary, on the one hand, to displace the playback unit by means of the lifting device to a height which coincides with the height of the disc holder carrying the selected disc in the disc storage magazine and, on the other hand, to bring the extraction arms of the disc extraction device to this height by moving the disc extraction device in the vertical direction so as to transport the turntable carrying the desired disc to the playback unit. Therefore, in order to play a disc, the playback unit and the disc extraction device must each be moved as a separate component.
Additionally, DE 3,328,328.A1 discloses a disc changer including a playback device, a turntable rotatably mounted in a frame, and a loading device for transporting a disc away from and to the turntable. The loading device includes a platform which is able to move up and down relative to the turntable, a magazine including a number of disc holders which are displaceable horizontally into and out of the platform, a transporting mechanism which cooperates with the respective disc holders along the platform in order to move the disc holders out of the magazine to the platform, and a lifting mechanism including a lifting compartment for the magazine in order to move the magazine into a desired height position. In order to press a disc against the turntable, the loading device cooperates by means of a pivotally mounted, spring tensioned press-on lever with a disc hold-down member. Thus, playing a disc here requires moving the magazine with the aid of the lifting mechanism of the lifting compartment, starting the transporting mechanism for the disc holder, moving the platform in the direction toward the playback device and pivoting the press-on lever together with the disc hold-down member. Therefore, in this disc changer as well, two separate components must be moved relative to one another, namely the magazine and the platform.
Furthermore, EP 0,138,005.B1 discloses a disc changer in which a vertically displaceable disc removal device is disposed between two vertical disc sleeves which accommodate disc magazines in which discs are stored. The disc removal device supports a disc sleeve gripper which is horizontally displaceable thereon. This disc sleeve gripper is provided with two gripping devices, one of which is selectively disposed in its ready position in the left or right disc magazine while the other gripping device holds a removed disc sleeve in the center position in which the disc is disposed above the turntable of the playback device. Thus only one gripping device of the disc sleeve gripper is able at any one time to take on a ready position for removing a disc sleeve from the associated disc magazine. That is, if a disc sleeve is to be removed from the other disc magazine, the disc sleeve gripper must first be moved in the direction of this disc magazine to bring the other gripping device into a ready position for the removal of a disc sleeve from its associated disc magazine, which constitutes an additional displacement path for the disc sleeve gripper, increasing the time for transporting the disc sleeve containing the desired disc from the disc magazine to the turntable of the playback unit.
Finally, EP 0,280.263.A2 discloses a disc player in which the discs are deposited in two stacks and can be played at two playing stations. The individual discs can be played from two sides. After playing, the discs are no longer returned to the same stack. In this device, an endless conveyor belt is configured as an extraction device. Thus, it is possible to remove a disc from one of the two magazines without waiting time. The position of the extraction device of this unit cannot be utilized to monitor the disc position. The slightest irregularity during transport of the discs, for example, upon transfer of the discs from the playback device or due to shocks to the system, may lead to serious disturbances in operation which are unacceptable.